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Top Fertilizers Exports by Country

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Enriched soil (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Enriched soil (Pixabay)
Fertilizers exported by all countries attracted US$92.7 billion worth of global spending for 2023.

That dollar amount reflects an average 57.1% increase collected by all shippers of fertilizers over the five-year period starting in 2019 when overall fertilizer exports were worth $59 billion.

From 2022 to 2023, the value of exported fertilizers dropped by -31.3% starting from $134.9 billion.

Fertilizers are critical agricultural drivers, essential for growing crops that feed people around the world.

The 6 biggest fertilizer exporters in 2023 were Russia, mainland China, Canada, United States of America, Morocco then Saudi Arabia. Collectively, those major suppliers accounted for over half (53.3%) of globally exported fertilizers during 2023 up from 51.6% for 2022.

Applying a continental lens, countries in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported fertilizers during 2023 with shipments valued at $32.8 billion or 35.4% of the world’s total. In second place were Asian exporters at 33% while 16.5% of international fertilizer shipments originated from North America. Another 12.7% was sent from exporters in Africa.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin America (2.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean notably Trinidad and Tobago, then Oceania (0.3%) mostly Australia.

Focusing on different types of exported fertilizers, approaching three-quarters (73%) were nitrogen-based products. Potassic fertilizers represent 22.9% compared to phosphatic fertilizers at 2.8%. Excluding those mineral or chemical fertilizer subcategories, the other fertilizer type is animal or vegetable fertilizers which accounted for the remaining 1.2%.

For research purposes, the high level 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 31 for fertilizers.

Top Fertilizers Exports by Country

Below are the 30 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fertilizers during 2023.

  1. Russia: US$14.9 billion (16.1% of total exported fertilizers)
  2. mainland China: $9.7 billion (10.5%)
  3. Canada: $9.6 billion (10.3%)
  4. United States: $5.48 billion (5.9%)
  5. Morocco: $5.46 billion (5.9%)
  6. Saudi Arabia: $4.3 billion (4.7%)
  7. Belgium: $2.8 billion (3%)
  8. Oman: $2.6 billion (2.8%)
  9. Netherlands: $2.59 billion (2.8%)
  10. Egypt: $2.5 billion (2.7%)
  11. Belarus: $2 billion (2.2%)
  12. Israel: $1.95 billion (2.1%)
  13. Qatar: $1.82 billion (2%)
  14. Jordan: $1.68 billion (1.8%)
  15. Spain: $1.56 billion (1.7%)
  16. Germany: $1.42 billion (1.5%)
  17. Algeria: $1.35 billion (1.5%)
  18. Poland: $1.15 billion (1.2%)
  19. United Arab Emirates: $1.08 billion (1.2%)
  20. Nigeria: $994.7 million (1.1%)
  21. Malaysia: $915.4 million (1%)
  22. Laos: $882 million (1%)
  23. Uzbekistan: $869.6 million (0.9%)
  24. Lithuania: $740.9 million (0.8%)
  25. Finland: $663.6 million (0.7%)
  26. Italy: $656.7 million (0.7%)
  27. Indonesia: $646.7 million (0.7%)
  28. Turkmenistan: $593.1 million (0.6%)
  29. Vietnam: $587.4 million (0.6%)
  30. Chile: $583.5 million (0.6%)

By value, the listed 30 countries shipped 88.5% of globally exported fertilizers in 2023.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of fertilizers since 2022 were: United Arab Emirates (up 2,639%), Uzbekistan (up 110.6%), Laos (up 31.2%) and Oman (up 23.2%).

Those countries that posted declines in their international sales of fertilizers were led by: Qatar (down -49.2%), Nigeria (down -48.2%), Vietnam (down -45.5%), Indonesia (down -45.1%) and Chile (down -45.1%).

Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses Buying and Selling Fertilizers

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for fertilizers during 2023. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported fertilizers and its import purchases for that same commodity.

  1. Russia: US$14.9 billion (net export surplus down -28.8% since 2022)
  2. Canada: $7.1 billion (down -32.8%)
  3. Morocco: $5.1 billion (down -29.6%)
  4. Saudi Arabia: $4.2 billion (down -40.5%)
  5. mainland China: $4.1 billion (down -36.2%)
  6. Oman: $2.6 billion (up 24.9%)
  7. Egypt: $2.2 billion (down -32.7%)
  8. Belarus: $2 billion (down -14.8%)
  9. Israel: $1.84 billion (down -36.4%)
  10. Qatar: $1.81 billion (down -49.1%)
  11. Netherlands: $1.7 billion (down -36.5%)
  12. Jordan: $1.6 billion (down -28.3%)
  13. Algeria: $1.19 billion (down -45.8%)
  14. Belgium: $1.06 billion (down -21.5%)
  15. United Arab Emirates: $862.1 million (reversing a -$96.5 million deficit)

The Russian Federation generated the highest surplus in the international trade of fertilizers. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Russia’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Countries Causing Worst Deficits Buying and Selling Fertilizers

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for fertilizers during 2023. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported fertilizers purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

  1. Brazil: -US$14.4 billion (net export deficit down -41.2% since 2022)
  2. India: -$10.3 billion (down -39.9%)
  3. United States of America: -$4.3 billion (down -9.3%)
  4. France: -$2.3 billion (down -39.9%)
  5. Mexico: -$2.19 billion (down -30.4%)
  6. Australia: -$2.15 billion (down -37.8%)
  7. Thailand: -$2 billion (down -28.5%)
  8. Türkiye: -$1.9 billion (down -8.9%)
  9. Indonesia: -$1.38 billion (down -44.6%)
  10. Argentina: -$1.38 billion (down -44.3%)
  11. Ethiopia: -$1.2 billion (down -7.7%)
  12. Ukraine: -$1.2 billion (up 91.1%)
  13. Bangladesh: -$981.1 million (down -71.8%)
  14. Colombia: -$972.5 million (down -29.3%)
  15. Philippines: -$962.7 million (down -21.8%)

Brazil, South America’s biggest country including by land area, incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of fertilizers. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Brazil’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for fertilizers-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Major Fertilizers Exporting Companies

Below are global fertilizers-processing conglomerates that represent established players engaged in the international trade of fertilizers. The home country for each is shown within parenthesis.

  • Abu Qir Fertilizers and Chemicals (Egypt)
  • Acron Group (Russia)
  • Intrepid Potash (United States)
  • Nutrien (Canada)
  • Sinofert (China)

 



 

See also Top Pesticides Exporters, Chemical Exports by Country and Top Water and Ice Exporters by Country

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 28, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 28, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 28, 2024

Wikipedia, Category:Fertilizer companies. Accessed on June 28, 2024